INL September 14, 2007  

SOUNDING OUT:
Filtering Our Thoughts

   To serve like Jesus Christ served, we must think like Jesus Christ thought. We are encouraged in Philippians 2:5 to let this mind be in us which was also in Christ Jesus. Indeed the Aramaic translation is “And think in yourselves that which also Jesus the Messiah thought.” He took the form of a servant (Philippians 2:6) and so should we. We must filter our thinking according to God’s Word or we will be conformed to this world.

  You have probably heard the sage old advise from the familiar proverb: "Think about what you are thinking about." Today, I’d like to encourage you to be mindful of your minds… to cogitate on your cogitations… to consider your considerations… to contemplate your contemplations… to deliberate on your deliberations… to meditate on your meditations… to opine your opinions… to ponder your ponderings… to recollect your recollections… to reflect on your reflections…. There is great benefit to consciously controlling what our minds are being fed. Indeed God commands us to “prove all things and holdfast that which is good (I Thessalonians 5:21).

  Many people spend lots of money to purify their drinking water, but make little effort to clean up their thinking. We can avoid many headaches and heartaches by simply filtering our thoughts. Even our cars come with air filters, gas filters, and oil filters as standard equipment. God suggests a first-rate filtering system that is guaranteed to work for those who install and faithfully use it.
Philippians 4:8:
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

  Do we want our minds transformed by God’s Word or conformed to the devil’s world. It is our choice, not just chance. Things the world calls trivial, God calls tragic. Things the world presents as fascinating, God calls fatal. If we don’t choose to control our thinking, our minds will be driven by the currents of the world. Instead of being focused we will be floundering. Instead of being concerned and convinced with the Word, we will be confused and convulsed by the world.

  Let’s look at each of these eight filters by which we are to prove all things:

  1. WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE TRUE:
    Things that are true contain no deceit, no error, no falsehood. Jesus identified God’s Word as truth (John 17:17). Truth is not relative. It is not a function of our perception. Truth doesn’t limit or confine us. Rather, it frees us (John 8:32).
  2. WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE HONEST:
    Things that are honest are venerated for their character. They are honorable and worthy of respect. In I Timothy 3:8, “honest” is set in contrast to those who are double-tongued, given to wine, and greedy of filthy lucre. What should we venerate? What should we hold up as worthy of respect? That which is not should be filtered out of our thinking.
  3. WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE JUST:
    “Just” refers to things that are right or correct, things that justice demands. Things that are just are righteous, upright, virtuous, innocent, faultless, and guiltless. “Just” is used of one whose way of thinking, feeling, and acting is wholly conformed to the will of God.
  4. WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE PURE:
    Things that are pure are unpolluted and undefiled. They do not contain some goodness and some evil. They are holy and sacred altogether. This filter keeps impurity out of our minds.
  5. WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE LOVELY:
    Things that are lovely are acceptable and pleasing. This is from God’s point of view, of course. This is the only use of prosphiles (with brotherly love) in the N.T.
  6. WHATSOEVER THINGS ARE OF GOOD REPORT:
    Things that are of good report are worth talking about. They sound well or ring true when spoken. Many things are not worthy of our time and effort to speak of them. These things are.
  7. IF THERE BE ANY VIRTUE (And there surely must be!):
    This refers to excellence in people and things. It refers to people and things with moral integrity and goodness. That is what we should think about.
  8. IF THERE BE ANY PRAISE (And there surely must be!):
    All the things we just mentioned are worthy of praise.
  First we need a “ready mind” (Acts 17:11; II Corinthians 8:19; II Peter 5:2) and a “willing mind” (I Chronicles 28:19; II Corinthians 8:12) so that we, like the men of Berea receive the Word and search the scriptures so that we prove all things and hold fast the good.

  We are bombarded with thoughts all the time. We can’t always stop them from coming, but we can detect and eliminate those that are not true, honest, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy. We do not want to incubate thoughts that should be filtered out. They will hatch actions we will only regret.

  As we are faithful to filter our thinking through the Word of God, we will have a “right mind” (Mark 5:15; Luke 8:35), a “sound mind” (II Timothy 1:7), and a fervent mind (II Corinthians 7:7). So think about what you are thinking about by taking a “check-up from the neck up.” We seek God by keeping Him in our thoughts (Psalms 10:4.) We can avoid so many headaches and heartaches by simply keeping our minds on the wonderful matchless Word of God.